Brake mechanism



Feb. 13, 1934.

W. R. BREWER BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24, 1951 5 sheets-sheet i Fehn, 1934.

W. R. BREWER BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24, 19:51

5 Sheets-Sheet '5 Feb. 13, 1934. w, R BREWER 1,946,928

BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24. 1931 5 sheets-sheet 4 Feb. 13, 1934. w R BREWER `1,946,928

BRAKE MECHANISMv Filed Jan. 24, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheell 5 vPatented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATI-:s PATENroFI-ics y BRAKEMEHANISM William B. Brewer, Duluth, lllnm Application January Z4, 1931. Serial No. 511,015

2 Cldml. (cl. lss-7s) 'rms invention reines to Vinterim: brake nicch-p anisms, particularly adapted for use upon automobiles, -wherein it is desired to operate such a device on all four wheels of the vehicle.

The principal object of the -invention is to produce a simple and eiiicient mechanism oir this character having maximum braking energy4 in proportion to the instrumentalities employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a wherein the expansive stress upon the braldng elements is approximately equal throughout the entirecircumferential area thereof, or in other words uniformly balanced.

A still further object is to provide as noiseless a braking device of this character as possible. Other objects and advantages of the novel structure will appear in the following description of the invention. l Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like e 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in Y elevation of the front wheel hub oi an automobile; i

-Figure2 isasimilarview oitherearwheelhub of an automobile;

Figure 3 is an enlarged central sectional view ontheline3-3ofFigure2;

Figure 4 is an vinside elevation of the rear wheel hub; and

Figure 5 is a similar elevation of the iront wheel hub. Y

Consideration of the details of construction will first be given to the rear wheel and brake mechanism therefore, as follows:

1 represents the wheel axle spindle and 2 and 3 the hub plates oi the wheel, which latter is omitted for convenience of illustration. The plate ordisc3oithehubinthisinstance forms the head of the brake drum of the wheel, it having the inwardly projecting annular flange 4 which extends over the circumferential edge of the discilxedtotheaxlehousingandwhich members `3, 4 and 5 form the housing for the `brake mechanism; the same being common in automobile construction. In this instance I have illustratedthellousingashavingailange'l formed integral therewith and to which the disc 5 is iixed as by suitable rivets; this simply being an immaterial modincation oiconstruction. Also, while I have illustrated ball bearings for the wheel in one instance, and roller vbearings in another,

`itiiitobeunderstood thatthisislikewiseimmaterial, and that the improved brake system is applicable to either.

' depths of these channels in 8 represents a sleeve like extension of the housing 6 which acts as the external housing for the bearing of the wheel and upon which is loosely mounted the circular skeleton collar 9 to which is xed as by the bolts 10 the control lever 1,1, 60 these bolts i0 extending through an enlarged web like portion 12 of the skeleton collar, and the bolts 10 being tapped thereinto. The lever 1l has a T-shaped inner end through which the bolts pass for the purpose of covering at all times the concentrically slotted hole 13 formed through the Aiinnge 'l and disc 5 which permits of oscillating motion ofthe lever 11 for functioning oi the brake The outer rim of the skeleton ring 9 has formed 70 transverse its circumferential :face and in equal spaced relation thereabouts a plurality of semicircular channels comprising the smaller end channels 14 transverse the deeper circumferential central channel 15 for the reception oi' 75 stepped rollers 16, said rollers being of a shape to iit one-half in such stepped and the other haii.' in similarly shaped channels in the inner circumierentialface of the innermost rim oi' the skeleton shoe segments 17., The proper so relation to the rollers are suchthat when the shoe segments are in their extreme contractile position, there is ample clearance between the inner rim ot the shoes and the outer rim of the ring as clearly illustrated, simultaneously, of course, with the ends ol' the sections abutting. This contractile stress of the shoes is accomplished by the endless helical spring 18 which is mountedcircumierentially about the inner rim of the shoes andpassing through the circular opening as indicated at 19 through the ends of the segments, so that equal stress inwardly is exerted upon all oi the shoestending towards equal and silent action of all of the rollers when movement oi the cooperative parts takes place. The skeleton shoe segments have an inner and outer rim as previously ini'erred united by theirend walls through which the holes 19 occur, and also each having a central side wall 20 through each of which is in- 100 stalled a holding bolt indicated at 2l. 'I'he hole for cachot such bolts is elongated slightly radiallyas at 22 so astopermit oi freeradlalaction of each shoe when actuated by its respective three supporting rollers,

ders which are held tightly within the disc 5 so that the shoe sections may freely move radially.

Now this radial movement ot the shoes ls'accomplished by partial rotation of the actuating no the bolts 21 being 105 'stepped bolts, v`that is bolts having annular shoulring 9, and when the latter is moved the rollers 16 being mounted therein must move circumferentially therewith and consequently roll upon 18 before described.

Upon the outer circumferential surface of each shoe segment 1'? is xed as by riveting or other similar manner suitable brake lining as indicated at 26, the same being peculiar in that its outer circumferential surface is concentric with the inner surface of the brake drum so that when forced outwardly it will snugly t same from end to end, thereby insuring maximum braking contact of the shoes, the only lost space being that insignicant portion intermediate` of the ends of the shoes at the four points of contact of same.

This lining is preferably of composition type and either pressed or molded to the shape desired, or shimmed under the ends.

Attention is now directed more particularly to Figures land 5 of the drawings which refer to the front wheels of the vehicle which must differentiate slightly from that described in respect to the rear wheels. However all the parts previously described are identical in the frontwheels except that the relation of the operating lever 30 is slightly different in its relation to the skeleton ring 9 as compared to the lever 11 previously described. In order to make the skeleton rings interchangeable in this respect I have shown in Figure 3 the web 31 which is identical with the web 12 spaced therefrom and provided with holes for the reception of the lever 30, and the lever 30 is operated by the rod 32 connected with the free end thereof and to the lever 33 fixed as by a suitable bracket 34 to the inner face of the front stationary disc 35, in which bracket the outermost end 36 of the rock shaft 37 is rotatably mounted. The lever, of course, is fixed to said shaft, and in this shaft adjacent the bracket is a universal coupling 38 to provide for the adjustment of the front wheels, as is obviously essential. The opposite end of the shaft 36 is mounted within the sleeve-like extension 39 of the ball and socket joint illustrated at 40 and fixed to the chassis frame of the vehicle not shown. On the shaft 37 is carried the operating lever 41 which is attached in any desired manner to the bracket operating lever not shown, but the operation of which through the mechanism :lust

described will rotate the skeleton ring 9 in the brake mechanism.

In these Figures 1 and 5, at 42 is shown the front axle and bracket 43 therefor, for providing the necessary pivotal connection with the wheel' hub. v

A contractile spring 44 is illustrated in Figur 5, which is attached at one end to the lever 30 and at the opposite end to a fixed point as at 45 to the disc of the wheel hub, the same being for a like purpose as the spring 24 on the rear wheels.

From the foregoing it is evident that the expansive braking surface being divided into a plurality (in this instance four) separate radially movable shoes, being expandable by but-a comparatively slight rotative movement of the skeleton collar requires no subsequent adjustment whatever of the lever mechanism for such movement, as they brake lining may be completely worn out before the limit of movement of the operating mechanism is reached.

It will be noted that the transverse bearings for the rollers 16 in, the inner rim of the brake shoes and the outer rim of the ring 9 contact only at the smaller ends of the rollers, while the larger central portion thereof freely rotates in the circumferential grooves 15 in these two cooperative elements; this construction being illustrated as the most convenient in respect to manufacture, as the grooves 15 may be thus more conveniently formed than as by milling. As these grooves are annular, one opposite the other, they form convenient means for the application of a lubricant in the form of hard grease or the like, to

l insure smooth and silent working of the device.

Having thus described myv invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A brake mechanism for vehicle wheels, comprising a brake drum, expandable brake shoe segments within the drum, a collar within said segments, saidsegments having central aligned longitudinal recesses therein and a plurality of spaced inclined planes thereupon and said collar having a central longitudinal recess therein, and roller means having an enlarged central portion registrable Within said recesses for expanding said segments by traversing said planes.

2. A brake mechanism for vehicle wheels com prising a brake drum, expandable brake shoe segments having inclined planes uponsthe inner surfaces thereof within the drum, a collar within said segments, the adjacent surfaces of the segments and collar being provided with a central longitudinal recess and spaced transverse recesses, and roller means having an enlarged central portion registrable within said longitudinal recess and the end portions of the roller means being registrable within said transverse recesses for expanding said segments by traversing said planes.

WILLIAM R. BREWER.

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